Marvel Fans Think Richard E. Grant Was the MVP of Loki Episode 5

The fifth episode of Loki made its debut on Wednesday, and it's pretty safe to say that the installment was glorious. The Marvel Studios Disney+ series has taken fans on quite the journey thus far, and the new "Journey Into Mystery" episode was absolutely no exception. After teasing the debut of several alternate versions of Loki in last episode's cliffhanger, Episode 5 showcased the characters in some major ways — and it looks like one particularly resonated with fans. Spoilers for Episode 5 of Loki, "Journey Into Mystery", below! Only look if you want to know!

The episode saw the various forms of Loki stuck in Limbo, as they tried to outsmart the matter-eating monster Alioth and potentially discover whoever is controlling the Time Variance Authority. One of the most prominent players in those proceedings was Classic Loki (Richard E. Grant), who audiences got to learn more about across the installment. Classic Loki's story started out very similarly to the show's main Loki (Tom Hiddleston), only he faked his death at the hands of Thanos and drifted throughout the cosmos for years, only to be captured by the TVA after he began to look for a way back to his version of Thor.

While Classic Loki emphasized the idea of Lokis surviving, the final act of the episode saw him making a powerful sacrifice, using his projection magic to create a manifestation of Asgard as Loki and Sylvie (Sophia di Martino) fought Alioth. Classic Loki ended up being directly in the line of Alioth's hunger, and died as a result, but relished in the fact that he'd found his "glorious purpose."

Classic Loki's storyline — and the commitment that Grant brought to the role — absolutely took fans by surprise, and many of them took to social media to share their appreciation for the beloved character actor. Here are just a few of those responses.